Machine for handling machine shorthand note paper



Aprl 24, 1962 s. ABSECK ETAL MACHINE FOR HANDLING MACHINE SHORTHAND NOTEPAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March l, 1957 INVENTORs Juar flbsck (JuliusBekimin? BY %ma 2 ATTORNEY Aprl 24, 1962 s. ABSECK ETAL MACHINE FORHANDLING MACHINE SHORTI- AND NOTE PAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1,1957 INVENTORS Jar fibseck States Our inventior relates to an improvedand simplified portahle machine for use in handling the continuous stripof folded paper upon which notes are taken in shorthand machines. Thismachine of our invention enables an operator at his typewriter totranscribe said notes without removing his hands or attention from histypewrter or touching said continuous strip of paper in any way.

Our invention penforms the basic function of the various prior artdevices known to us and specifically the basic function of the deviceshearing U.S. Patent No. 2,737,156, and U.S. Patent No. 2,747,547,however, its features of design, features of principles of operation andfeatures of co-rnpcnent parts in relation to each other are all new,novel and improvements over that which is old.

One feature of our completely assembled machine is that in actual use itoccupies only slightly more desk top area than one folded bundle ofshorthand machine note paper would occupy. All other devices of thisgeneral type known to us occupy, when in actual use, more desk top areathan two folded bundles of shorthand machine note paper would occupy.Our economy of space is achieved by pl-acing our note holding andreceiving trays one directly above the other, and our note moving anddisplaying means fastened to `and extending vertically up from thetopmost tray. Our said note trays are sufiiciently deep to completelyenclose and protect from accidental upset a full bundle of note paper, afeature lacking in a folding tray type prior art device.

Another feature o f our invention is its comp'act, selfcontained papermoving means. Within its separate, independent housing is aixed a drivemechanism consisting of a simple 110-120 volt A.C. or a one and one-halfto three volt D.C. electric motor with a worm drive on its shaft, amating worm gear, and a pressure roller with a spring to keep it incontact With said worm gear. These are all o f our machines moving driveparts, and this complete unit is readily fastened to or removed from itsposition atop the machine's vertical paper supporting and displayingcolumn. If need be, a spare or new paper movng means can always bequickly attached to the machine.

The aforementioned pressure roller is another feature of our invention.Said pressure roller is non-remova-ble and may be simply swung to oneside at any time to permit insertion or removal of note paper at anyplace in its entire length of folded panels. One prior -art device knownto us has, for this said purpose of insertion and removal of note paperat any place, a roller which must be manipulated completely free of themachine. In addition to the extra work involved in using this type ofmechanism, there is ever present the hazard of misplacing said removableroller or damaging it should it roll to the floor. Another prior artdevice known to us features no movable pressure roller of any kind. Whenusing this particular device -it is necessary to insert note paper atits beginning and remove it at its end. Insertion into or removal fromthis machine of note paper at any other place necessitates tearing ofthe note paper.

Another feature o f our invention is the constant manking of note paperas it is moved through the .machine by the revolving of theaforementioned worm gear, thus (w 's v enabling an operator to at alltimes know which of his notes have been transcribed.

Another feature of our machine which we believe to be novel is the useof either `approximately -120 volt home power or ordinary flashlighttype batteries, contained in the machins foot switch housing, `forsupplying the machines only necessary source of power. Sad batteries areeasily accessible and removable, and because they are in the foot switchhousing, away from the paper holding and -moving portions of themachine, can be quickly changed, when necessary, without disturbing notepaper in the process of being read for transcription.

A 'further feature concerning the foot switch housing of this machine ofour invention is that it contains two separate, foot pressure actuatedtype electrical switches which enable an operator to automatically movehis note paper forward or bacloward at will. No other switches of anytype are needed or used in this machine.

Our foot switch housing also has the additional feature of a :foot rest,center-ed between the two aforementioned switches, which relieves anoperator of the tiresome task of holding his foot, pivoted at the heel,poised over the switch.

Still 'another feature of our invention is that tor purposes ofportability and storage our machine quickly and easily collapses into asmall, compact, rectangular unit with all parts nested neatly one intoanother. There are no pieces or wires left outside and all moving parts*are safely protected on the inside. 'Ihis is accornplished by foldingour paper supporting and displaying column in hal-f at its hingedmidsection, with paper moving means attached in its normal Operatingposition, 'and pivoting said column down into the paper receiving tray;our foot switch housing is then placed into said paper receiving tray-atop said folded column and alongside said paper moving means, then ourpaper holding tray is placed over said paper receiving tray in the samemanner as a cover is placed over a box.

The Simplicity and compactness of our machine 'and the minimum of movngparts within it indicates `an economy of materials and an economy oflabor in production that assures a product more commercial-ly feasiblethan any other product of this general type that we know of.

Other advantages, objects and features of our invention will be apparentfrom the accompanying drawings, detailed descriptions and the appendedclaims.

In the accompanying drawings we show various views of one embodiment ofour invention. Same parts appearing in more than one view are indicatedthroughout the same reference numerals.

FIGURE 1 is 'an isometric front View of our machine set up for use andwith the note paper in it and 'being handled by it. Also shown is thecombination foot switch `and battery housing and connecting wire. Anoperator working with the machine would normally position it on hisdesl( so that he faces the paper as it emerges from the bottom tray andmoves upward along the vertical column.

FIGURE 2 is an isometric rear view of our machine set up for use with nopaper in it.

FIGURES is an enlarged view of our removable paper moving means withsections of its housing wall shown broken away to facilitate the drawingof its internal detail, and the pressure roller arrangement, which maybe either right or left handed, is as illustrated for clarity.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of our combination foot switch and batteryhousing with a section of its wall broken away to facilitate the drawingof the internal arrangement of the two batteries (if batteries are used)in their holder and the internal portons of the foot switches.

FIGURE shows the various parts of the nachine as they are about to benested compactly together for the purpose of portability and storage.

FIGURE 6 shows the completion of the action shown in FIGURE 5. Thevarious parts, shown in dotted outline, are nested in the top tray andthe inverted bottom tray is fitted down over said top tray.

The trays, housings and supporting column in the form of a ladder-likeelement of this machine of our invention may be made of any suitablematerials adaptable to the necessary shapes and forms. However, in theparticular embodiment of our invention shown and described herein, thesesaid parts are made of sheet aluminum shaped and formed by conventionalsheet metal working processes.

The various fastening devices described herein apply to this particularembodiment of our invention and may in this or in any other embodimentbe replaced by other fastening devices of any suitable means.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 wherein: The bottom tray 19 is the notepaper holding tray, and with its open end facing the machine operator,holds the bundle of note paper awaiting reading for transcription 11.Above it is positioned a note paper receiving tray 12 to receive thenote paper after it has been read 13, marked 14 and refolded 15. Itsopen end also faces the machine operator and has fastened pivotly 16into it the lower section of a two piece note paper 'displaying column17, to which is fastened by means of a hinge 18 the upper section ofsaid column 19, to which is fastened by means of two easily removablescrews 51, the machine's note paper moving means 20; and for the purposeof supplying, actuating, and reversing power, a two strand, insulatedelectric wire 21 is electrically connected to a combination foot switchand battery housing 22; and by means of a standard type electricalplug-in device 23, is connected into said note paper moving means 20.

An operator using the machine would normally place the combination footswitch and 'battery housing 22 in a convenient position on the floorunder the desk, and place the sole of one foot down over the tops ofboth switches, forward 24 and reversing 25, with the weight of said footcentered over, resting on, and supported by the small raised foot rest26 located midway between said switches. The height of said foot restprevents the foot from actuating either of the switches except that whenthe foot is turned slightly to one side or the other, as desired, itsweight may be brought to bear on a switch and thus actuate it.

When the operator depresses the forward switch 24 with his foot pressureand continues to hold it down the note paper will continue to move outof the bottom tray 10, up the face of the column 17 and 19, over the topof the note paper moving means housing 20 and the gear 27 protruding outof the top of said housing, and then fall frecly and unaided 28 neatlyr'efolding itself and coming to rest 15 in the top tray 12. The Verynature of the standard type of continuous strip note paper commonlyused, and the way in which it is folded, alternately one way and thenthe other, is such that it will always refold itself when allowed tofall freely.

As shown in greate-r detail in FIGURE 3, it is the aforementioned gear27 under the paper, which revolves, and aided by the downward pressureof the pressure roller 29 on the top of the paper, directly impartsmotion to the paper. As the note paper is moved along by the revolvinggear, it is constantly marked 14 by the gears teeth; this featureenables an operator to at all times know which of his notes have beentranscribed. If it be necessary to remove an uncompleted bundle of notesfrom the machine, or if it be necessary for the operator to reverse themachine to check back on some detail, the exact point of completed workcan always be instantly found. As shown in greater detail in FIGURE 3,by g'aspng finger grip 30 and lifting slightly upward, the pressureroller 29 on its shaft 31 may be raised clear of its rest 32 and swungfreely to one side, permitting quick and easy insertation or removal ofnote paper at any point of its length or stage of its completion.

Referring back to the rcversing switch 25, it is used and actuated inthe same manner as the forward switch 24. Use of this said reversingswitch will cause the note paper 15 to move -up and out of the top tray12, over the note paper moving means 20 and down the column 17 and 19.It will not enter into the 'bottom tray 10, but this is not necessary asmost of the reversing needs in note transcribing Work are for just ashort distance back. If the situation is such that the operator has needto check back a considerable distance in his notes, he may allow thepaper to continue coming back down the column and it will tend to refolditself on the desk, then this accumulated bundle may be manually placedinto the bottom tray 10 atop the paper 11 that is already in this tray.On the other hand, if the paper is only inserted about half or one-thirdof the way into the bottom tray it will fold automatically on thereversing phase. However, our recommended method for checking back aconsiderable distance is to simply reach into the top tray and manuallylift out the desired amount of folds of paper, check back on whatever isnecessary, and then replace them back into the top tray.

Referring further to FIGURES 1 and 2: The note paper holding tray 10 isof rectangular shape, open at the top and at one end, and long and wideenough to hold a bundle of note paper, and somewhat deeper than thethickness of a full bundle of note paper. The note paper receiving tray12 is also of rectangular shape, open at the top and at one end,slightly narrower than the note paper holding tray's internal width, sothat it can fit into it, and deep enough to fully enclose a full bundleof note paper.

The note paper receiving tray is fitted over and slightly down into theopen top of said note paper holding tray, and is held in place -by fourstandard type, spring-loaded, self-looking fasteners 33, one part ofeach said fastener 'being afiixed near the top edges of the note paperholding tray, and the other mating part being affixed in a correspondingposition near the bottom edges of the note paper receiving tray.

The note paper displaying column sections 17 and 19 are each slightlyshorter in length than the internal length of the note paper receivingtray, and are of a shape similar to` that of a shallow channel. The twopivot fasteners 16 by which the lower column section 17 is fastened intothe paper receiving tray are located at the bottom of each side memberof the column. Positioned above said pivots at a point opposite andslightly below the top edges of the note paper receiving tray are twofasteners 33 .of the type previously described under this referencenumber, the one part being on the column and the mating part being onthe tray. These fasteners 33 serve to hold the column in the raisedposition for use, which is at an angle slightly backward from thevertical toward the open top of the note paper receiving tray. Thisbackward angle prevents the top section of the column 19 from fallingforward on its hinge 18 and it can not fall backward because each of itsside members rest upon the side members of the lower section 17.

Refe'ring again to FIGURE 3 wherein the note paper moving means housing20 contains a 1% to 3 volt D.C. or other conventional volt A.C. electricmotor 34 afiixed to a base 35 which in turn is fastened by means of twobolts 36 to said housing. The electric motor 34 has a standardconventional drive, such as, for example, a type worm drive 37 fitted toits shaft so that it revolves with the shaft. In this particularembodiment of our invention said worm drive 37 is of 48 diametral pitch,and single right hand thread. Mated to said worm drive i-s a 50 toothworm gear 27 which protrudes through a slot in the housing, and issupported by a shaft 38 upon which it is free to revolve when driven bythe worm drive. Retainers 39 fitted to the shaft, one on each side ofthe worm gear 27 hold it in its properly centered position directly overand in mesh with said worm drive 37. Said shaft 38 is positioned at aninety degree angle to the motor shaft and at sufiicient height above itfor proper meshing of gear teeth, and it is fastened to opposite sidewalls of the housing by means of two screws 40, one on each side,passing through holes in the housing and screwed into the internallythreaded ends of the shaft. The motor 34 is wired in a standard mannerto a standard type of elcctrical receptacle 41 for receiving a matingplug 23 'as shown in FIGURES 2 and 5.

The pressure roller 29 has a diameter of about a half an inch and is alittle longer than the face width of the worm gear 27. It is made ofsoft rubber, or any suitable rubber-like material, fitted over a hollowmetal tube-like core which :is in turn supported by a shaft or rod 31upon which it is free to revolve. It is held in its properly centeredposition in relation to the protruding gear by means of two retaners 43fitted to the shaft 31 one on each side. Said shaft 31 extends acrossthe top of the housing parallel to the wonm gear shaft 38 and is ofsufficient height above said housing to allow the rubber surface of theroller to make slight contact with the gear. The pressure roller shaft31 rests at one end of the housing in a support 44. This said support 44has at its top a shallow semicircle-li-ke cradle 32 of slightly greaterdiameter than the shaft 31 into which said shaft rcsts, ready forinstant removal. At the other end of the housing, the pressure rollershaft 31 is connected at right angles to a vertical rod ;or shaft 46which has a finger grip 30 at its top, and extends down through a hole47 in the housing, and then passes through a Vertical, tube-like guide48, fastened inside of said housing. One end of a spring 49 underelongated tension is attached to the bottom of said vertical shaft 46and the other end of said spring is attached to the housing.

Said note paper moving means housing 20 has a threaded hole 50 in eachof its two parallel sides by means of which it is fastened into itsposition at the top of the upper section 19 of the note paper displayingcolumn with two screws 51 as shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 6. Saidhousing is placed between the side members of said column and with itsopen side 52 into and against the back of said column.

Referring again t-o FIGURE 4 wherein the combination foot switch andbattery housing 22 is generally a hollow rectangular box with theexception that approximately half of the front part of its top surface`53 has a downward slope for the purpose of best accommodating anoperator's foot. Its width is narrower than the internal width of thenote paper receiving tray 12. Within this said housing is afiixed ifbatteries are used as a source of power, a battery holding device 54into which two standard type flash light batteries 55 may be placed andthus brought into electrical contact with the two switches 24 and 25.Said battery holding device is wired to said switches in a standardelectrical manner. The heights, and therefore the sensitivity toactuation, of the two said switches may be individually adjusted by anoperator by alternately loosening and tightening on the upper and lowerfastening nuts 56 and 57.

Referr-ing to FIGURES 5 and 6 wherein, for purposes of portability andstorage, the machine is brought together as follows: The combinationfoot switch and battery housing 22 is disconnected from the note papermoving means housing 20` by removing the plug 23, attached to theconnecting wire 21, from its receptacle 41. The upper section 19 of thenote paper displaying column, with note paper moving means housing 2.0`attached, is folded down, through an arc of 180 degrees, so that itrests front to back upon the lower section 17 of said column. This isaccomplished by means of the connecting hinge 18. Said lower section isthen freed of its two fasteners 33 and by means of its pivot connection16 lowered down to rest in the bottom of the note paper receiving tray12 with said upper section and housing resting upon it. 'Dhe combinationfoot switch and batte-y housing 22 with its attached wire and plug isthen inverted for better space economy and placed in the tray. The notepaper holding tray -10 is then freed of its four fasteners 33 holding itin operating position under said note paper receiving tray is inverted,and then with its closed end over the said note paper receiving traysopen end, placed down over the note paper receiving tray, in whichposition the four mating fasteneparts on each tray will again come intoalignment and lock. As specifically shown in FIGURE 6, the machine isnow compact, completely enclosed within itself, and all moving parts aresafely protected on the inside.

We claim:

1. A collapsible, portable machine for use in holding, unfolding,moving, displaying, marking and refolding the continuous strip of foldedpaper upon which notes are taken in shorthand machines, comprising: arectangular note paper holding tray, of depth slightly deeper than thethickness of a full folded bundle of shorthand machine note paper, andopen at one end; a rectangular note paper receiving tray, slightlynarrower than said note paper holding tray's internal width t-o fullyenclose a full bundle of folded note paper, said receiving tray open atone end, and when the machine is in use said receiving tray is disposedover said note paper holding tray with its open end directly above saidnote paper holding trays open end; a note paper supporting anddisplaying column hinged at approximately half of its length so that itcan be folded double, each half being app'oximately the length of onepanel of note paper, said column affixed to the open end of said notepaper receiving tray by a pivot, and when the machine is in operativecondition said column being unfolded at said hinge to its full lengthand raised to a near vertical position on said pivot; a self-contained,independently housed note paper moving means removably attached to thetop of said column; a self-contained, independently housed combinationpower supplying and actuating means connected electrically to said notepaper moving means whereby when the machine is in use said actuatingmeans is disposed for foot pressure actuation remote from the rest ofthe machine, an electric motor aixed to a base which in turn is fastenedto the mechanism`s housing; a wor-m drive fitted to the eXtending shaftof said motor so that it revolves with the shaft; a worm gear ofcorresponding size to said worm drive, and protruding out of themechanisnfs housing by means of a slot in said housing, said worm gearmounted on a shaft which revolves with the worm drive; theaforementioned shaft being fastened at its ends in the mechansm'shousing whereby it is positioned at a ninety degree angle with the axisof said motor shaft, and at a height above the shaft sufiicient for theteeth of the worm drive and the worm gear to properly mesh, retainers toretain the worn gear in its properly centered position; a pressureroller affixed to the mechanismh housing in such a way as to be incontact with said worm gear's teeth so that note paper, moving betweenthe gear and the roller, is marked by the geafis teeth along its lengthparallel, said pressure roller being free to be swung to one side, clearof the gear and out of the way so that paper may be inserted, a springunder slight elongated tension and being attached to a holder for saidpressure roller, a housing for said note paper moving means, a length oftube-like member fastened in a vertical position to one side of theinterior of said housing; a red-like member passing upward through saidtube-like member, in which it fits loosely, and passing out of thehousing through a hole in its top; a shaft extending at an angle to saidrod-like member, a finger grip attached to swing the shaft clear of saidhousing, oscillatable through a ninety degree turn and extending overthe top of said housing parallelto its surface and cressing directlyover and above said protruding worm gear, and resting on a cradle-likeretainer at the opposite side of the housing from which it emerged; aroller approximately as wide as the face width of said worm gear made upof a hard, hollow core and covered with a soft rubber-like material;said roller being fitted so that it re- Volves on said shaft memberwhich crosses the top of the housing, said roller held in place byretainers in a centered position so that it makes direct and propercontact with said worm gear; a spring under slight elongated tension,one end of which is attached to the end of said rod-like member which isinside the housing, and the other end of the spring being anchored tothe housing.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said power supplying andactivating means is composed of: a complete and independent housing ofsufiicient strength and rigidity to support foot pressure, and having aslope in its upper surface at an angle to the floor, said slopetherefore causing the housing to be so constructed that it is higher inthe rear and lower in the front; a device for holding ordinaryflashlight-type batteries, fastened into said higher rear section of thehousing, said batteries holding device being of the type that permitssaid batteries to be clipped in and snapped out by finger 'pressure; twofoot pressure actuated switches, fastened in the housing under thesloped surface whereby they are positioned close to opposite side edgesof the housing and an equal distance back from the front edge of thehousing, and prot'uding through holes in said sloped surface so thatthey may be actuatecl by foot pressure; a foot rest centered betweensaid switches and fastened to the sloped surface by any suitable means;and wiring and connections to electrically connect the batteries,switches and said note paper moving means.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said foot rest centered betweensaid switches and fastened by any suitable means to said sloped surfaceof housing is of height approximately that of the tops of said switches,and of such size and shape sufiicient to comfortably hold the weight ofan operator's foot and prevent it from actuating either switch as longas said foot is held with its sole more or less parallel to the slopedsurface of the housing.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said length of tube-like memberis a tubing, said rod-like member is a rod member, said shaft extends atan angle to said rod, said shaft resting in its operative position on aCradle retainer at the opposite side of the housing from which it mayemerge, said roller covered with a soft rubbery material, and one end ofsaid spring attached to the end of said rod member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS %0,278Ireland Jan. 3, 1911 2,166,50S Shipley et al. July 18, 1939 2,737,156Denver Mar. 6, 1956 `2,747,547 Drasher May 29, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS249,646 Switzerland May 1, 1948

